by Jacob Walker
Mr Vampire (1985) was responsible for popularising the Jianshi (Chinese Vampire) genre, with its unique mix of horror, comedy, and Kung Fu. Eureka has produced a fine box set that captures the best of the inevitable sequels and spin-offs. Unfortunately, the love put into the package can’t disguise the diminishing quality of the films.
Mr Vampire 2 (1986) sees Lam Ching Ying reprise the role of Uncle Kau (A Taoist priest turned vampire hunter), this time in modern-day Hong Kong (the other films are all set in the early 20th Century), this time dealing with a family of vampires. Disappointingly, the film concentrates on the child of the family being befriended by a small girl.
Mr Vampire 3 (1987) features supernatural bandits attacking Lam’s village. The comedy comes from the late Richard Ng as a fraudulent priest who carries around friendly ghosts in an umbrella (as you do), the action is great, but it doesn’t feature any vampires!
Mr Vampire 4 (1988) is a Chinese version of the odd couple and the only film not to feature Lam. After arguing for the entire movie, two Taoist priests must team up to defeat a group of vampires.
Vampire vs Vampire (1989) is probably the strongest and most interesting entry, as it features a European vampire buried in a Christian church. Lam must entrust the help of some local nuns to defeat the creature of the night.
The disc features the usual plethora of commentaries, a great booklet by James Oliver and modern artwork bathed in glorious green. The real draw is two video pieces, one concerning the popularity of the genre, which interviews a real Taoist priest, and another detailing the rituals practised in the film. This is the perfect companion for anyone who wants to explore the genre further, even if that exploration will ultimately end in disappointment.
